Door fitting jig



June 1, 1954 J, J. REEDER, JR

DOOR FITTING JIG INVENTOR. (JAMES d Pea-052$;

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ms A/I'OPMEPS Filed May 5, 1955 June 1, 1954 J. J.REEDER, JR

DOOR FITTING JIG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1953 INVENTOR. c/AMES c/.P551252 (/5.

HIS AI'I'OPA/EVS Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- DGORFITTING.- JIG Jamesl. Reader, J r.,jSan Jose, .C'alif. Application May'-5, 1953, "Serial No;'353 ,140-

5. Claims. 1 This invention: relates 'to-doorxfitting. j igs: .and more:particularly to a device ofithi's typerhaving guide; means. thereon for:facilitating shaping; of the edges and/or ends of a door in conformitywith an opening into WhiChaitiStOifiI..

.Ingeneral, the; present invention is associated with an adjustableframe for obtaining a template. of: a. door opening; Such typesofiadjust- 'ablez frames are. not basically new but-heretofore the.template. created therebywastuseful; only as a scribingguide requiringcompensationifonclearances; later" required between the door. and: theframe.v In other words, to compensate-for such clearances with theypriornadjustable frames; the latter had to be-placedl overithe door tobescribed and the latter scribed along one edge afterwhich theadjustable frame had: to bershifted laterally of the'door: andresetrelative thereto beforescribing. the other edge of. the door; Thusit. willabe seen that the human element. entered into: the final; resultand, consequently error could. occur.

The; present invention contemplates the elimination of. error due toresettingof' thetemplate or adjustable frame. andhasxas its: psincipalobijeict the provision of a guide means for a template wherebybothedges: of a door can be shaped without resetting of. the templateaoradjustable frame relative thereto.

Another object is to provide an adjustable frame with templateedgesadaptedto-conform to-any deviations, arcs or curvatures in a: door framerelative to plumb.

It is anotherobject to iprovidea door jig with laterallyadjustableslides; having. their:outer ends pivotally associated. withflexible; template edges and a: guide rail paralleling the latter.

Theseand other objects andadvantages ofw-the present invention willbecome apparent the followingv description when read in the; light. ofthe. drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view'of; a door jig; embodying the presentinvention being set..:intoa.a door frame'to obtaina template of theopening formed thereby.

ifiig.v 2 is a vertical: section of: Fig. taken" along line 2-2 thereof.

Fig.3 is a partialhorizontal sectionnof: Rig. 1 taken-along line 3-3thereof.

Fig. 4 is.a perspective view ofthe-wdoorrjigz-of Fig, I placed upon adoor andillustrating: the manner not-shaping the edges. thereofi.

Fig.5 isan enlarged endvi'ewofiflig: 4:.as seen from theforezrightihand; end;thereof=..

Refer-ring tmFigs. .1). 2..and 3ra1dooriframew| 0 is'showninserted in=avroughmpening: llfimavwalP [2 of 'abuilding; The door-framelfl'zincludin'g atpainofside; jambs A and; B as-well as a headHfisrsetinto the-opening in a conventional manner bymeans of -wedges l3.As is customary, :at least five Wedges: are used: thezspaceebetween thejambs and the vertical side edges R an'diLiof theropcninggtt toassure'afirmrfoundation' ofthe sideujambs-A: and Bl'of the frame I10adjacent the-studdingbuck: I 4' which form: the opening H Inthis manner,that'isby the'use of wedges t3, the workman is enabled'fto set the'doorframe .jambsaAanda Btruly vertical but more:oftenithan not some;slightwaver; cur.ve:or irregularity may aoccur..-in-the-.side jambs oftheframa l0.

Itiswith the foregoing: arrangement ofa frame already set into-aa rough:opening that they .door jig-of the. presentinventionindicated asI-5-inthe drawings isadapted to'be'used; Therdoor jig l5 embodying thepresent invent-ion includes an in- 3 termediate base member l6preferably constnuctedr outzof rigid-material such as plywood ofa.=sufiicient number of plies to assure against warping of thisintermediate;-member.. #If: desired, the-intermediate member Hizmay haveits central zonesx'cutoutasat. .M which isapreferable-forthe purposes oftheqpnesent.invention; These-cutout openingsfle formed-imtheintermediate member H5 ifacilitateiadjustmentof .a vertical. rodsl 8guided for vertical. movement in laterally extending guide; clips l9secured tothetransverse portions 20% between the openings. in theintermediate member- It. The uppermost clip .21 includes. a threadedcollar 2-2 to which the. threaded-upper end of the-r0dlt-extendsforscrew adjustment up.:and downfrelative to the guidestripsl9and to the intermediate member I 6.

Toifacilitateturning ofv the screw portion-of. the rodJ 8.:ahand..grip.-2'3 is-provided-on the rod'in a suitable positionwithm thereachof. a workman manipulating. the jig andsassshownin Figshland 2within the centermost oneofthe openings formed .in-Jthe intermediatemember H5; The lower end of thezrod, member is includes'a swivel pad orpedestal -24 adaptedsto bear upon :the floor. of the building in whichthe Wall I2 is formed-.so-as to-r-aise andlor. lower the =doorrjig, l5relative to the door frame 1.0 In this manner the upper- .mosttedge U.:of. the .jig-

pressed firmly against the head- H of the door. frame l 0;

.Ilhe door. jig lie-includes agpairnof adjustable side edges 25-26i.Thesa-side edges"25-26 are joined. at the:respective rsides: of theintermediate; member Hi1 by laterally extendahle: :slid'es ilk- 28'.'llheseilaterally :extendable slide imem- Ebers 2"!+-'-28 tareguidediz'imz laterali sliding movement relative to the intermediatemember I6 within guideways 30 formed on the solid transverse portions 20of the intermediate member l6. In addition to the foregoing guideconnection to the intermediate member, each slide 21-28 has alongitudinal slot formed therein for receiving a bolt 29 having its headend embedded in the intermediate member as seen in dotted lines Fig. 2.The outer ends of the bolts 29 are threaded and each carry a wing nut 3|by which the slides 21-26 can be secured in lateral adjusted positionwith respect to their respective guideways. outer end of each of theslide members 21-28 is provided with an aperture through which athreaded bolt 32 extends. The head end of each threaded bolt 32 isanchored suitably to its square cut head being seated well into theguide mem ber 25 or 26 as the case may be.

Each of the threaded bolts 32 carries a wing nut 33 by which the freeends of the slide members 21-28 can be suitably secured relative to theadjustable side edges 25-26. However, when the nuts 33 are loosenedthere is pivotal action between the ends of the slide members 21-28 andtheir point of connection with the side edges 25-26.

For purposes of the present invention, the adjustable side edges 25-26also carry a corresponding guide rail 35-36 respectively having a sideedge 35'-36' respectively, running parallel to the outer edge 25'-26respectively of the guide or side edges 25-26. As illustrated in thedrawings, these guide rails 35-36 are so disposed that the bolts 32extend therethrough so that any outward thrust of the slide members21-28 during adjustment of the door jig within the opening I isimpressed upon the guide members 35-36 as well as the side edges 25-26of the door jig. In this manner the edges 25-26 are being pressed firmlyagainst the inner faces of the side edges of the door frame l0 so as toform a template of any irregularities, curvatures or angular shapestherein.

In order to render the adjustable side edges 25-26 flexible for thepurpose aforesaid, each side edge 25-26 is recessed on its inner face asat 40. This is done to narrow down these adjustable side edges at aplurality of points along their length, namely between the points ofpivotal connection thereof by way of the bolts 32 with the free ends ofthe respective slides 21-28. In this manner, the adjustable side edges25-26 are made springy so as to bow or curve as well as slant into anycounter or shape as may occur on the inner faces of the side jambs A orB of the door frame l0. It will thus be seen that in the setting of thedoor jig within a particular door frame, some of the transverse slidemembers may extend a greater distance from the intermediate member 16than do others of the slide members. In this manner, the guide rails35-36 are correspondingly curved so as to run substantially parallelwith the outer or template edges 25'-26' of the adjustable side edges25-26 of the door jig.

After the workman has set the door jig properly within the openingprovided by the door frame It, the jig l becomes a template conformingsubstantially with the opening provided by the frame I0. The jig memberis then slid out of or withdrawn from the opening, all of the wingnutsbeing fastened down tightly so that the entire jig is now a fixedtemplate ready for positioning on a door D in the manner as shown inFig. 4. In this connection, the door jig I5 The which now comprises atemplate is placed upon the door substantially centrally thereof so asto leave adequate material beyond the template edge of the jig. The jigis then clamped down firmly upon the door D in the manner as shown in Fi4.

The rough door D upon which the jig has been placed (Figs. 4 and 5) willextend slightly beyond the template edges of the side edges of the doorjig and these extended edges of the door must now be cut down to conformto the shape of the template edges 25'-26' of the door jig. This is doneby the use of a power tool such as an electrically driven planeillustrated at 50 in Figs. 4 and 5. This plane 50 is provided with aguide member 5| adapted to lie upon the upper front face of therespective side edges or 26 as the case may be when the plane is appliedto the door edge that is to be cut. This guide member 5| is of adimension calculated to span the entire upper surface of the door jigside edge 25 or 26 and ultimately bear against the edges 35'- 36' of theguide members 35 or 36 on the tem-- plate.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the plane is adapted to take a depth of outupon each stroke of the plane member along the edge of the door untilthe guide member 5| of the plane engages against the edge 35 or 36' ofthe guide member 35 or 36 as the case may be. The depth of cut taken bythe blade of the plane as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, is suchas to allow for the clearance required, for instance, of an inch at eachside of the door when the latter is ultimately placed within the frameID for hanging thereon.

As previously stated, the adjustable side or template edges 25-26 of thejig of the presentinvention are adapted to bow or curve in conformitywith any curvatures or angles in the side walls of the door frame ascreated by the wedge members when the door frame is set in place, or ascaused by any warping of these side members of the door frame, after ithas seen set into the opening I I. Consequently, since the edges 35-36'of the guide rails 35-36 are disposed in parallelism with the templateedges 25'-26 of the side edges 25 and 26, it will be seen that the guidemember 5| on the plane 50 following any of the curvatures affected onthe guide members 35-36 will reflect such curvatures into ultimate cutsmade by the plane to the depth of the dotted line as indicated in Fig.5.

Consequently, once the plane 50 has been run over the door edge inaccordance with the guide edge of the particular guide rail 35 or 36,the door will fit perfectly into the opening from which the template wasmade on the particular door jig. Moreover, since both side edges of thedoor may be planed without any readjustment or resetting of the door jigrelative to the door, it will be seen that the ultimate cut of bothedges of the door will reflect the exact shape of the door opening asformed along the inner surfaces of the side jambs A and B as well as thehead H- of the door frame 10.

In connection with the latter, it will be noted that when the particulardoor jig has been set into the opening provided by the frame [0, the

pedestal member l8 being pressed firmly down against the floor willcause the upper end of the jig to bear tightly against the head H of thedoor frame H]. In this manner, the head of the door can be scribedaccurately to conform to the line at which the door should be cut inorder to fit within the opening provided by the frame.

Moreover, and by the same token, since the door jig l has been pressedfirmly up against the edge of the opening provided by the frame Hi,there will be sufiicient space allotted at the lower end of the sideedges 25-26 to enable the workman to scribe the slab door adjacent itslower end as indicated at 56 (Fig. 4) so that the door can be cut at itslower edge with a saw to line up with the floor and have sufficientclearance therefrom to enable the door to swing in and out of theopening after the hinges have been set to the same.

While I have described the door jig embodying the present invention inspecific detail, it will be apparent that the same may be varied,altered, and/or modified without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims:

1. A door jig comprising an intermediate base member, a template formingside edge disposed in the same plane and at each side of said basemember, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extendingguideways in said base member, a slide member arranged in each of saidguideways for lateral adjustment, means for releasably securing saidslides relative to said intermediate member, each of said slides havingtheir outer end pivotally connected to a respective one of said sideedges, and a guide rail secured to each of said side members foradjustment in parallelism therewith simultaneous with the setting of thelatter into template forming relation with the inner face of a doorframe.

2., A door jig comprising an intermediate base member, a door jambengaging side edge disposed in the same plane and at each side of saidbase member, and each having their outer edges disposed to engage thejamb of a door, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extendingguideways in said base member, a slide member arranged in each of saidguideways for lateral adjustment, means for releasably securing saidslides relative to said intermediate member, each of said slides havingtheir outer end pivotally connected to a respective one of said sideedges, each said side edge having a portion of its inner edge recessedbetween the points of connection thereof with said slides, and a guiderail secured to each of said side members for adjustment in parallelismtherewith simultaneous with the setting of the latter into templateforming relation with the inner face of a door frame.

3. A door jig comprising an intermediate base member, a template formingside edge disposed in the same plane and at each side of said basemember, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extendingguideways in said base member, a slide member arranged in each of saidguideways for lateral adjustment, means for releasably securing saidslides relative to said intermediate member, each of said slides havingtheir outer end pivotally connected to a respective one of said sideedges, and a guide rail secured to each of said side members foradjustment in parallelism therewith simultaneous with the setting of thelatter into template forming relation with the inner face of a doorframe, said guide rail forming a guide line parallel to the templateforming side edge associated therewith adapted to be engaged by a powertool by which the door edge is later to be cut to conform with thesurface against which said door edge is ultimately to be disposed.

4. A door jig comprising an intermediate base member, a door jambengaging side edge disposed in the same plane and at each side of saidbase member, and each having their outer edges disposed to engage thejamb of a door, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extendingguideways in said base member, a slide member arranged in each of saidguideways for lateral adjustment, means for releasably securing saidslides relative to said intermediate member, each of said slides havingtheir outer end pivotally connected to a respective one of said sideedges, each said side edge having a portion of its inner edge recessedbetween the points of connection thereof with said slides, and a guiderail secured to each of said side members for adjustment in parallelismtherewith simultaneous with the setting of the latter into templateforming relation with the inner face of a door frame, said guide railforming a guide line parallel to the template forming side edgeassociated therewith adapted to be engaged by a power tool by which thedoor edge is later to be cut to conform with the surface against whichsaid door edge is ultimately to be disposed.

5. In a door jig of the type including an intermediate base member andtemplate forming side edges joined by a plurality of vertically spacedlaterally adjustable slide members; the combination therewith of aplurality of guideways on said intermediate member for slidinglyreceiving a respective one of said slide members, each said slide memberhaving pin and slot connection with its respective guideway and theintermediate member, means on said pins for releasably securing saidSlide members in laterally adjusted position relative to said guidewaysand intermediate member, a guide rail extending parallel to each of saidside edges and disposed between the latter and the free ends of saidslide members, and means for pivotally connecting the free ends of saidslide members to said guide rails and side edges on either side of saidjig for adjusting each guide member in parallelism with the side memberwith which it is associated simultaneous with the setting of the latterinto template forming relation with the inner face of a door frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,115,030 Smith Oct. 27, 1914 1,664,076 Humphrey Mar. 27, 19281,687,532 Waltke Oct. 16, 1928 1,917,239 Chester July '11, 1933

